The present invention relates to convertible roofs and, more particularly, to convertible roofs with a shortening rearmost roof bow.
Traditional soft-top convertible roofs for automotive vehicles typically employ three, four or five roof bows, having an inverted U-shape spanning transversely across the vehicle for supporting a vinyl, canvas or polyester fabric pliable roof cover. A number one roof bow is mounted to a pair of front roof rails and is typically latched to a stationary front header panel of the automotive vehicle body disposed above the front windshield. A number two roof bow is typically mounted to either the front roof rails or to a pair of center roof rails which are pivotally connected to the front roof rails. Furthermore, a number three, four and any additional optional roof bows are commonly mounted to either the center pair of roof rails or to a pair of rear roof rails which are pivotally coupled to the center roof rails. The rearmost roof bow can reside on top of the vehicle body when the convertible roof is in the raised operative position. In some instances, the rearmost roof bow can reside on top of a movable tonneau cover that can be opened and closed to allow the convertible roof to move between a raised and retracted position. The roof cover can also have a hard or rigid portion along with the pliable portion. For example, reference should be made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,409, entitled “Convertible Top”, which is incorporated by reference herein.
Most traditional convertible roofs are stowed in a bootwell or stowage compartment that is located aft of a passenger compartment in the vehicle. A boot or tonneau cover is then used to cover the bootwell and conceal the convertible roof from view and/or protect the stowed roof from the environment. Optionally, a portion of the convertible roof can be visible when in the stowed position and provide a desired appearance for the vehicle.
Traditional soft-top convertible roofs, such as those discussed above, can present a packaging (stowing) difficulty. In some vehicles, it may be desired to have a particular exterior appearance. The exterior appearance may require the rearmost roof bow to extend a significant length rearwardly along the vehicle body. This length of the rearmost roof bow can present packaging difficulty in that the rearmost bow must be stowed in the stowage compartment along with the other components of the convertible roof. Additionally, the packaging difficulty can be more pronounced when a convertible roof is desired to be used on a larger vehicle (vehicle having front and rear seating areas).
The available space for the stowage compartment in a vehicle, however, may be at a premium. That is, while it is desirable to provide a vehicle with a convertible roof, it is also desirable to provide sufficient storage space in the vehicle for use in storing objects other than the convertible roof. Thus, it would be advantageous to reduce the packaging space required to stow the convertible roof while increasing the available space for other purposes, such as maintaining or increasing the size of the passenger compartment and/or the size of the general storage area or trunk of the vehicle when produced with a convertible roof.
In accordance with the present teachings, a convertible roof is provided which includes a segmented rearmost roof bow that has a longitudinal length that can change during the retraction and extension process. The rearmost roof bow can be segmented such that the pieces can move relative to one another to shorten a length of the rearmost roof bow when being stowed. When in the fully raised and operative position, the sections of the segmented rearmost roof bow can be aligned and form a roof bow having an operative length. In the retracted state, the sections of the segmented rearmost roof bow can be moved relative to one another such that they are no longer aligned and have a length that is less than the operative length when aligned.
In one aspect of the present teachings, the retraction of the convertible roof is a two-step process. In the first step, the sections of the segmented rearmost roof bow are moved relative to one another to take an adjacent position and shorten the length. This motion can be accomplished while the rest of the top stack mechanism remains stationary. In the second step of the retraction process, the sections of the segmented roof bow can be held in the adjacent position while the rest of the top stack mechanism and the segmented roof bow retracts into the stowage well. In another aspect of the present teachings, the segmented sections of the rearmost roof bow move from an aligned position to a shortened, adjacent position as the top stack mechanism retracts into the stowage well. In this teaching, the segmented sections move relative to one another as the rear roof rail moves. Thus, in this aspect, the shortening of the rearmost roof bow can be accomplished in conjunction with the rotation of the rearmost roof rail between the raised and stowed positions.
This shortening of the rearmost roof bow advantageously reduces the packaging space required for a convertible roof employing such a segmented rearmost roof bow. Thus, in a convertible roof according to the present teachings, the length of the rearmost roof bow is shortened during the retraction process to allow the convertible roof to stow more compactly. The ability to shorten the length of the rearmost roof bow during the retraction process enables a longer rearmost roof bow to be implemented when the convertible roof is in the raised operative position to provide an aesthetically desirable appearance. For example, the use of an extended length rearmost roof bow can facilitate the appearance of a fastback vehicle wherein the roof line extends rearwardly a significant distance toward the end of the vehicle.
Additional objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the pending claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the detailed description and the specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the teachings.